blossom ↣ joshler ✓

3. Babysitter

Tyler glanced out the car window, watching as the surroundings outside flew by him.

His mother sat in the seat next to him, driving the car. She was currently taking him to school since she refused to let him ride the bus or give him a car. Although he was a sophomore and he had the permit that allowed him to drive to school, she thought teenagers in cars were too dangerous so he wasn't allowed to drive himself alone until he was 18.

The brunette was starting to get hot. His mom had the heat blasting but since he was in a long sleeved button up, blazer, and tie, he was warmer than he should've been.

He reached forward to turn the heat down but his mom smacked his hand away. "I don't want you getting cold then getting sick," she told him.

"I apologize," he mumbled, bringing his hand back and setting it in his lap.

"I have to talk to you about something," Kelly changed the subject.

"Proceed..."

"So..." she began, sighing. "The court told your father he doesn't have to pay as much child support anymore... long story short we're staring to hurt for money."

Tyler blinked. He didn't really know what to say. "And what can I do about it?" He asked, his tone dry.

He didn't mean to be offensive; he was genuinely asking a question. However, his mom took that differently. "Tyler Robert do not give me attitude. I'm doing this for you."

"Doing what?"

Kelly sighed once more and Tyler was starting to get nervous. "I'm going to have to pick up extra shifts at work."

"How often?"

"Pretty much from the time I drop you off to school until after your bedtime."

"Which days?" Tyler continued questioning. He didn't like not knowing what was happening.

"Every day during the week. I'm still going to have weekends off so I can take you to your piano lessons on Saturday and we can go to church on Sunday. Besides, no one should be working on the Lord's day."

Tyler stopped, realizing something. "You neglect to leave me at home alone."

Kelly hummed. "That's why I'm hiring a babysitter."

"A babysitter?" Tyler screeched. "I am sixteen years old Mother I do not need a babysitter."

"I'm doing it for your own safety. It's not that I don't trust you but I need to make sure you're safe."

Tyler had to refrain from rolling his eyes. A babysitter? Seriously? "How are you able to pay for a babysitter if we don't have any money?"

"I'll be able to pay whoever it is just fine we don't need that much extra money."

"Whoever it is?" Tyler looked at her with wide eyes. "First, you're forcing your adolescent son to have a babysitter. Second, you don't even have any idea for who that babysitter may be?"

"It'll be fine, Tyler," Kelly snapped. "Stop freaking out about it. I don't even let you ride the bus. I'm not going to leave you with some random person I don't trust."

Tyler remained silent, not wanting to make his mom upset. The rest of the ride stayed like that: silent. The radio wasn't even on. Tyler's mom didn't let him listen to music that wasn't Christian and didn't even encourage that outside of school or church.

A few minutes later she pulled up in the parent drop off. Tyler glanced at his school: West Bridge All Male Christian Secondary School.

Kelly unlocked the door without a word and Tyler got out, shutting the door behind him. He didn't turn around as he walked up to the doors. As soon as he had one handle on the door and was halfway inside is when he heard his mom drive away.

He let out a relieved sigh he didn't even know he was holding.

A babysitter? A babysitter? He had just turned sixteen a little over a month prior and his mom was hiring a babysitter? Tyler doesn't do anything anyway. He could survive on his own just fine.

He was so busy in his own little word he didn't realize that he ran right into somebody. Their bodies collided but luckily the only things that fell were the books the other guy was holding. "My apologies!" Tyler said quickly, bending down to help gather up the items from the ground.

"Hey, don't sweat it," the guy replied. Tyler looked up and saw it was a kid named Mike he had seen around a few times. "Accidents happen," he smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

Tyler felt Mike's hand brush his own as the picked up the books together and he blushed slightly. Suddenly, he felt his stomach churn and he forced the color to go away. "Here," he stood up and handed the last book to him. "I need to leave now. Goodbye," he said quickly, speed walking off towards his locker.

It was two hallways down from where he had been before so thankfully he didn't have to stick around Mike and die from embarrassment. Sighing, his twisted the combination into his locker and swung it open.

He stared at the plain, blue door and instantly took off his matching blue blazer. He stuck it on the hook since he was only getting hotter by the minute.

Quickly grabbing the books he'd need, he shut his door and began making his way to his first period: Spanish III.

Tyler's eyes caught the clock on the wall and saw it was only 6:40 so he had another 20 minutes to kill before school started. He liked getting there early though because he wasn't in a rush to get to class. Besides, he usually just read in his seat while he waited for the teacher to begin class. He didn't have any friends to talk to. Him and Ryan just ate lunch together and that was in relative silence.

Tyler entered his classroom, going over to his seat and sitting down. Another small sigh left his lips and he began getting his things out so he was at least prepared. No one else was in the classroom. Not even the teacher. No one cared though. He'd been doing this every since he switched to the school two years ago when he began freshman year.

After he got his things out, he opened his book and picked up where he left off the night before. Feeling his glasses slip down his nose, he slid them back up.

No matter how hard Tyler tried to concentrate on his book, he couldn't help but think about what his mom had told him.

He just hoped things didn't end badly.